The Empire Center is a 522-acre area south of the Interstate 10 Freeway and east of Sierra Avenue. It was largely vacant in 1987 when the Alexander Haagen Company purchased the land in conjunction with national retailer, Sears Roebuck. By 1990 a development plan had been prepared and was submitted to the City for consideration. The Empire Center Plan consisted of a three phased approach including: 1) Development of a 645,000 square foot promotional shopping center anchored by IKEA, Target 'Greatlands', and Mervyns; 2) a one million square foot enclosed regional shopping mall; and 3) a 180-acre single family residential neighborhood in the southeast quadrant of the Empire Center. Additional development in the Empire Center would include an entertainment center, including a multi-screen cinema, and community and neighborhood shopping facilities.

The Palm Court Promotional Shopping Center opened for business in March 1992. All three major anchors opened by July 1992 and the Center was over 65% occupied by the end of 1992.

As the country slid into a recession in 1993, plans for the regional mall also died. Haagen sold their remaining property to a new investor in 1997. The residential property was sold to an investor in mid-1998 and resold to a residential developer in mid-1999. The residential area was approved for approximately 383 homes on lots with a minimum of 7200 square feet in size. Homes have been built and occupied; Colton Unified School District has built an elementary school in the neighborhood.

The City of Fontana acquired approximately 216 acres of vacant Empire Center land in March 2001 with the intent of moving development forward and to solve outstanding financial problems in the Empire Center Community Facilities Assessment District.